Truss



S. M. BAYARD. Truss.

No. 238,481. Patented March 8,1881.

A V/MMW llNrrEn STATES STEPHEN M. BAYARD,

ATENT FFICE.

OF IONIA, MICHIGAN.

TRUSS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 238,481, dated March 8,1881. Application filed February 27, 1880.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STEPHEN M. BAYARD, of Ionia, Ionia county, and Stateof Michigan, have invented a new and useful Hernial Truss, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved instrument for the relief and cureof hernia.

The object of my invention is to provide a better means of supportingand holding the defective parts in their proper place until a cure canbe effected; and it consists in a certain definite construction pointedout in the claim.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the entire instrument. Fig. 2 is a back view,showing the interlacing of the small springs. Fig. 3 shows he pad insection. Fig. 4 shows the pad as attached to the girdle.

To enable those acquainted with the art to make and use my invention, Iwill describe it in detail, as shown in the drawings.

A A represent a belt or girdle passing entirely around the body andoverlapping in front from one inguinal region to the other, and on theback, at O 0, some five or six inches. It is made in two halves, ofhigh-tempered brass wire, of any number suitable to produce the strengthof spring force required. These wires are laid side by side to thenumber sufficient to make the width desired, and each alternate wire outfive or six inches longer at each end an the ones next to it. They arethen soldered together with ahard tin solder the whole length of theshorter wires. The two halves are made alike, except that it is usuallydesirable to make one half narrower than the other, in order that thepressure of one pad may be lighter than the other. They are then bentinto the proper form between suitable rollers. After being nickel-platedthe two halves are locked together in front,at B B, by interlacingalternately the wire spring extension on the ends of each half withthose of the other by passing them from the outside of the belt inwardand fastening them by the pads being attached to their free ends E E onthe inside of the belt. The small spring-wire extensions of the otherends are then interlaced alternately and locked togetheron the back sidein the same manner as those on the front, except that they are passedfrom the inside of the belt outward, and fastened by means of cross-tiesD D, soldered across their free ends on the outside of the belt.

The pads I use (but do not claim) are made of any suitable material-finelight wood or hard rubber is preferred. The pressing-surfaces of thepads are made to accurately fit theinguinal region, and they areprovided with a concave extension, F F, forward and upward, by whichthey are made more easy to wear and to support the abdominal walls. Thepads remain immovably fixed in their places, and hold the spring-girdledown without perineal straps.

In this truss the pressure is directly in line ofthehernial protrusion.The abdomen is supported on the opposite side by the lighter pad andspring not allowing the bowels to recede from the hernial pad undergreat strain, as in lifting or jumping, and requiring less pressure. Itis easy to wear, because less pressure is required, and because thesprings open and close on the back, giving free motion to the body. Thesprings yield to every motion, while the pads stay in their places. Itis durable, because the materials of which it is made cannot corrode orbreak; and it is cleanly, because the excretions of the body cannotcollect upon or penetrate into it. It is simple of construction andbeautiful in appearance.

This truss is put on by sliding it out to its fullest extent on bothsides and putting it on over the feet. When the pads are adjusted itcloses up on the back to the body of its own force; but if, in case ofextreme obesity, it should not close sufficiently tight, a small elasticweb may be attached by means of loops on the belt on each side tofacilitate such action also, in cases of infancy or extreme old age, tofacilitate the adjusting and retaining the pads in their places, a smallnon-elastic web may be attached across the front in like manner, itdesired. Neither of the webs areshown in drawings.

It will be readily seen by persons acquainted with the treatment andcure ofhernia, that when suitable pressure is made in the line of thehernial protrusion upon a pad the pressing-surface of which is exactlyfitted to the parts of the inguinal region, where pressure is necessaryto close the external and internal rings and inguinal canal, it isimpossible for a hernia to escape. To such persons the utility ofmyimprovements is obvious.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters 5 Patent, is-

In trusses, aspring-girdleniadein two parts, of wireslaid side by sideand soldered together each alternate wire being longer than those besideit, to provide for the interlacing of the ends of both parts, the endsof the springs be- 10 ing joined at the back by cross-pieces andattached to the pads in front, substantially as described.

STEPHEN M. BAYARD. Witnesses HARRISON MILLER, JAMES BENNETT.

